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Quick answer: The best books to read on a plane include The Thursday Murder Club, The Martian, Project Hail Mary, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, The Rosie Project and Big Little Lies. Pack a fast, absorbing novel like The Thursday Murder Club or The Martian, plus an audiobook for takeoff.
A flight is a gift of uninterrupted reading time, if you pack the right book. The best plane reads are engrossing enough to block out engine noise and a crying baby, light enough to carry and easy to pick up after you doze off. They also work in short bursts for layovers. This list gathers fifteen books for flights, from page-turning thrillers and warm comedies to short story collections and memoirs. Some are paperback-friendly, and most are available as e-books or audiobooks so you can travel light. Choose according to flight length: a short hop calls for a short book, a long haul for a gripping novel. Download your books before you leave in case the Wi-Fi fails.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman | Cozy mystery | readers who want fun |
| The Martian | Andy Weir | Science fiction | readers who like problem solving |
| Project Hail Mary | Andy Weir | Science fiction | readers on long flights |
| Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine | Gail Honeyman | Contemporary fiction | readers who like heart |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Romantic comedy | readers who want laughs |
| Big Little Lies | Liane Moriarty | Mystery | readers who like suburban secrets |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Thriller | readers who like twists |
| Where’d You Go, Bernadette | Maria Semple | Comic fiction | readers who like quirky humor |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Romance | readers who want sunshine |
| The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy | Douglas Adams | Comic science fiction | readers who love absurd humor |
| Born a Crime | Trevor Noah | Memoir | readers who like humor and heart |
| Bossypants | Tina Fey | Memoir | readers who want laughs |
| A Walk in the Woods | Bill Bryson | Travel humor | readers who like laughs |
| And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie | Mystery | readers who like puzzles |
| Atomic Habits | James Clear | Self-help | audiobook listeners |
1. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four retirees solve cold cases. Warm and witty, easy to pick up after a nap.
Best for: readers who want fun.
2. The Martian by Andy Weir
An astronaut stranded on Mars uses science and humor to survive. Content note: strong language.
Best for: readers who like problem solving.
3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
A man wakes alone on a spaceship and must save Earth. Gripping and charming.
Best for: readers on long flights.
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A lonely woman learns to open up. Content note: themes of abuse and loneliness.
Best for: readers who like heart.
5. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A professor looks for a wife using a questionnaire. Light and funny.
Best for: readers who want laughs.
6. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
A school trivia night ends in death. Fast and funny. Content note: domestic violence.
Best for: readers who like suburban secrets.
7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
A wife disappears and her husband becomes the suspect. Content note: violence.
Best for: readers who like twists.
8. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
A mother vanishes before a family trip to Antarctica.
Best for: readers who like quirky humor.
9. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival writers swap genres and fall in love. Content note: open-door scenes.
Best for: readers who want sunshine.
10. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Arthur Dent is whisked off Earth moments before it is demolished. Short and hilarious.
Best for: readers who love absurd humor.
11. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Noah’s story of growing up in apartheid South Africa. Content note: violence and abuse.
Best for: readers who like humor and heart.
12. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Fey’s funny memoir about comedy and career.
Best for: readers who want laughs.
13. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Bryson tries to hike the Appalachian Trail. Content note: some strong language.
Best for: readers who like laughs.
14. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers on an island are killed one by one.
Best for: readers who like puzzles.
15. Atomic Habits by James Clear
Short chapters and clear lessons suit audio and short sessions.
Best for: audiobook listeners.
How to Choose the Right Book on A Plane Ride
Choose by flight length. For a short flight, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, The Rosie Project and Born a Crime are quick. For a long haul, Project Hail Mary, Gone Girl and Big Little Lies hold attention. For a nap-friendly read, The Thursday Murder Club and A Walk in the Woods are easy to resume. For something uplifting, Beach Read and Where’d You Go, Bernadette are fun. For audio, Atomic Habits and Born a Crime are well narrated. Download before you board.
Which Book Should You Start With? A Quick Guide
If you are not sure where to begin, match your situation to the list below.
- Readers who want fun: The Thursday Murder Club
- Readers who like problem solving: The Martian
- Readers on long flights: Project Hail Mary
- Readers who like heart: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
- Readers who want laughs: The Rosie Project
- Readers who like suburban secrets: Big Little Lies
- Readers who like twists: Gone Girl
- Readers who like quirky humor: Where’d You Go, Bernadette
- Readers who want sunshine: Beach Read
- Readers who love absurd humor: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
- Readers who like humor and heart: Born a Crime
- Readers who want laughs: Bossypants
- Readers who like laughs: A Walk in the Woods
- Readers who like puzzles: And Then There Were None
- Audiobook listeners: Atomic Habits
A Simple Reading Plan
A reading plan works better than a stack of good intentions. Begin with The Thursday Murder Club, which is the easiest way into a plane ride, and give it two weeks at ten to twenty pages a day. When you finish, spend five minutes writing down the one idea you want to try. Then move to The Martian, and only after that to Project Hail Mary or a title that is denser. Mixing formats helps: read one book on paper, listen to another on a walk and keep a third on your phone for waiting rooms. If a book is not helping after fifty pages, put it down without guilt and try the next one, because the right book at the right time matters more than finishing every one.
Print, E-Book or Audiobook?
You do not have to pick one format. For a book on a plane ride, listen to the audiobook while walking or driving, and keep the paper or e-book handy for the chapters you want to study. Reading and listening together can improve retention, since you hear the author’s voice and see the structure on the page. Library apps lend all three formats free, and used paperbacks are inexpensive. If your attention drifts with long audio sessions, try 1.25x speed for an easy book and normal speed for a dense one. Choose whatever makes it easiest to read a little every day.
How to Get More From What You Read
Reading is the first step, and practice is the second. For each book on a plane ride, choose one idea that fits your life and schedule it, whether it is a ten-minute exercise, a conversation or a habit. Write it where you will see it, such as on a sticky note or in your calendar. After two weeks, ask what worked and what did not, and adjust. Sharing your progress with a friend adds accountability. If a book offers exercises, do them with a pencil instead of skipping to the next chapter, because the exercises are where most of the value lies.
Reading on a Budget
Reading about a plane ride does not have to be expensive. Start at the library, where print books, e-books and audiobooks are free with a card and a hold list, and ask the librarian for related titles. Secondhand bookstores and online used sellers keep prices low, and older editions are usually just as good as new ones. Watch for e-book sales, and borrow a title before buying it to be sure it suits you. When a book becomes a favorite, buy a copy for your shelf so you can reread and annotate it.
Talk About What You Read
Talking about what you read turns information into understanding. After each book on a plane ride, tell someone one thing you learned, even if it is just a five-minute chat over dinner. Post a short review for other readers, which forces you to organize your thoughts. If a book raises difficult feelings, share them with a trusted friend or counselor instead of carrying them alone. And if you disagree with an author, say so; thoughtful disagreement is part of learning, and it sharpens your own view.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Readers often make a few predictable mistakes with books on a plane ride. The first is reading too many at once and finishing none, so stick with one or two at a time. The second is looking for a perfect answer, when most authors offer ideas to test, not rules to follow. The third is skipping the exercises or reflection questions, which are often the most useful parts. The fourth is comparing yourself with the author’s success story. Finally, do not treat a book as a substitute for support from people who know you. Use books as one tool among several, and be kind to yourself when progress is slow.
How to Judge a Book on A plane ride
Not every book on a plane ride is equally reliable. Before you trust one, check the author’s background: are they a researcher, clinician, journalist or someone writing from lived experience? Each can be valuable, but they offer different things. Look for notes and references at the back, which show the claims can be checked. Be wary of books that promise a quick fix, rely on a single story or dismiss all other views. Read a few reviews from people with different perspectives, and treat bold claims as hypotheses to test in your own life. A good book invites questions instead of demanding agreement.
When Reading Is Not Enough
Reading can illuminate and encourage, yet some situations need more than a book. If you notice that your struggles with a plane ride are getting worse, lasting a long time or affecting your health, reach out to a professional you trust. Local libraries, community centers and workplaces often offer free resources, classes or referrals. Sharing what you are reading with a friend can open the door to a supportive conversation. Use these books as companions on the journey, and let real people walk it with you.
Questions to Reflect On
Keep these in a notebook and return to them after each book:
- What do I most want to understand or change about {t}?
- Which idea from my reading feels true for me, and which do I doubt?
- What is one small action I can take this week?
- Who could I talk to about what I am learning?
- How will I know in a month that this reading helped?
Tips for Reading About A plane ride
- Download before you fly. Wi-Fi may fail.
- Bring a paperback backup. Batteries die.
- Pick light. Heavy books are tough in tight seats.
- Use headphones. Audiobooks block noise.
- Match length. Short hop, short book.
Related: 15 Best Books to Read When You’re Bored and atomic Habits Summary and Key Takeaways.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best books to read on a plane?
The Thursday Murder Club, The Martian, Project Hail Mary and Gone Girl are popular.
Should I bring a paperback or e-reader?
An e-reader saves weight, and a paperback is a backup during takeoff or low battery.
What about audiobooks?
They are great for long flights and layovers.
How many books on a plane ride should I read at once?
One or two at a time is plenty. Finish a book, try one idea from it and then move on, so what you read turns into something you do.
Are these books on a plane ride available as audiobooks?
Most of them are. Check your library’s app, such as Libby, or an audiobook service, and listen to a sample to see whether the narrator suits you.